In this first ever Biblio Breakdown, we examine inciting incidents, characterization through relationships, setting as character, dramatic irony, and more, all with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of how we can approach each of these in our own writing.

Valerie Biel returns to the writescast to talk crunch time: what to do in the final thirty days before a book launch! In this episode, she covers strategies for outreach through traditional and digital media, giveaways, paid advertising, and direct marketing strategies.

Sione Aeschliman walks us through the early steps of the self-publishing journey. In this episode, we talk what you need to have done before looking to publish, the platforms through which one can self-publish, cover design and cover art resources, and best case practices for each of these critical phases.

Author and PR guru Cheryl Muir returns to the writescast to talk ick-free self-promo: how we can get more comfortable doing it, and best case practices for attitudes to adopt once we’re finally ready to put ourselves and our work out in the world.

Meg Gaertner returns to the writescast to discuss goals: those we set out to achieve in 2017, whether we achieved them, and what we learned along the way. Then we look forward to 2018 (and beyond!), all in the interest of helping YOU maximize your own goal-oriented success.

Aria Gmitter joins me to talk about her background in film, and how writing a screenplay varies from writing a manuscript for a novel. If you’re a writer of fiction looking to break into TV or film, this episode is for you!

Barbara Britton describes her journey to publication through music and encourages other writers to do the same. How will using music to frame your career as a writer help you better understand your process?

Author Ryan Decaria discusses mad science and the mad scientist trope—what it is, how we can use it, and how we can prevent our use of it from becoming clichéd! With examples from books and television both modern and historic, Ryan provides a unique perspective on mad science and sci-fi you won’t want to miss.

Bakari Chavanu joined me for this episode to talk about National Journal Writing Month, and what journaling can offer us both personally, and professionally as writers of fiction. Be sure to have a listen before the next installment of NaJoWriMo, which happens four times per year in January, April, July, and October!

To help writerfolk everywhere prepare for this great query event, author and Son of a Pitch founder Katie Hamstead joined me to talk about what SoaP is, how it can help you refine your query and first 250 words, and what you need to do to participate.

If you miss the participation deadline this time around—no worries! Katie runs SoaP twice yearly, with the biggest event taking place in February.

Scott Birrenkott joined me to talk all things sci-fi: what it is, how to research for it, and how to find a balance between science and fiction when writing sci-fi of our own. Scott’s work has been featured with both Fiction Vortex and Liquid Imagination.

Author Steven Salmon joined me for this episode to talk about his personal and professional experiences as a writer with cerebral palsy. His two books A Very New Day, and It’s a New Life! Mom Is Goneare available on Amazon and www.stevenbsalmon.com.

This episode of the writescast features Valerie Biel, award-winning author of YA hits Circle of Nine, and Circle of Nine: Sacred Treasures. She joined me to discuss strategies for promoting our writing through traditional media, including television, radio, and good old print news.

For this episode of the writescast, author Danielle Maurer joined me to talk about Twitter contests, the importance of perseverance, strategies for developing good writing habits, and what to keep in mind when working with an editor.

For this episode of the writescast, Kristin A. Oakley joined me to define and discuss the hybrid publishing process. It’s not quite traditional, and it’s not really self-pub, either. How does that work, you ask? You’ll have to listen to her interview to find out!

For this writescast episode, Meg Gaertner spoke with me about how to manage the query process, and how we as writers can keep our heads above the water when waves of rejection notices come crashing down.

This episode of the writescast features freelance proofreader Mary Anne Hinkle, who joined me to talk about the differences between proofreading and editing, the publication process, and how writers have to be ready to divorce themselves emotionally from their manuscripts when seeking the help of an editor.

For this episode of the writescast, author and PR guru Cheryl J. Muir joined me for a conversation on developing a brand as an author. In it, she covers topics including the know-like-trust factor, navigating social media, and creating a digital image that balances who you are as a person with who you are as a professional.

Back in January, Young Adult writer Josh Springs joined me for a conversation on YA in general, why it’s important it be written and read, and things you should never say to a writer of Young Adult or Middle Grade fiction–or anyone, really. Be nice to each other. You can listen to the full conversation below.

For this edition, I had the opportunity to interview James Wymore of Immortal Works on their acquisitions philosophy, explicit content in literature and film, book rating systems, and what we can expect from Immortal Works in 2017.

For this episode of the r. r. campbell writescast, author Dylan Davis joined me by phone to discuss flash fiction, overcoming “writer fear,” and tips for submitting short-form fiction to literary magazines. He also reads his flash piece “Detach,” published in Fiction International in 2015.

For the first-ever episode of the r. r. campbell writescast, I sat down with Dan Schiro, author of Rogue Destiny to talk about action scenes. Using examples from Star Wars, the James Bond franchise, 2001: A Space Odyssey and more, this episode focuses on the importance of verisimilitude, character, and setting when creating high-flying action scenes. Enjoy!